Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0078’

ABSTRACT

A new  Pelargonium  plant named ‘PEQZ0078’ particularly distinguished by bright orange colored inflorescences with large semi-double florets, held above dark green foliage, on a mounding plant.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pelargonium interspecific.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEQZ0078’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium interspecific, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEQZ0078’.

‘PEQZ0078’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘PEQZ0078’ has bright orange colored inflorescences with large semi-double florets, held above dark green foliage, on a mounding plant.

‘PEQZ0078’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program made in July 2015, in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented plant of P. x hortorum parentage identified as ‘PEZ-AZ3272-07’ with darker colored and larger florets and a larger plant habit when compared to ‘PEQZ0078’.

The male parent of ‘PEQZ0078’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. x interspecific parentage, identified as ‘11063-1’ with lighter green foliage and orange-red, more single florets when compared to ‘PEQZ0078’. The resultant seed was sown in December 2015.

‘PEQZ0078’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2014 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEQZ0078’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June 2016 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in May 2014 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEQZ0078’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEQZ0078’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for. ‘PEQZ0078’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEQZ0078’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEQZ0078’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1, 1 flowering plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2, a close-up of an inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands in early June 2020 under natural light. These plants were approximately 16 weeks old and were grown in a 12 cm pots, in a greenhouse trial. The plants shown in the photographs were about 16 weeks old growing in a 12 cm pot in a greenhouse. The photographs were taken in June 2020.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEQZ0078’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘Fisorangtan’ (U.S. Plant ‘PEQZ0078’ Pat. No. 16,891) Pollen color: RHS N172B (greyed RHS 28A (yellow- orange) orange) Peduncle color: RHS 143C (light Between RHS 143C green), coloring with (light-green) and RHS anthocyanins close to RHS 143B (light-green) 183B (greyed purple) Stigma color: RHS 53A (dark red) RHS 43C (salmon-pink)

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             rounded growth habit.         -   Plant height.—16-20.0 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—28-33.0 cm.         -   Plant width.—25-34.0 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Variegation.—Absent.         -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 139A.         -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 137C.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137B.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 138B.         -   Length.—7.5-8.5 cm.         -   Width.—7.5-10 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Base shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.         -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.         -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.         -   Leaf zonation color.—Distinct RHS 187B.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137B, largely indistinct.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 139D, becoming             indistinct.         -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 137C, slightly mottled close to RHS 176A.         -   Petiole length.—5.5-7 cm.         -   Diameter of petiole.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of branches.—5-9.         -   Color of stem.—Close to RHS 143B mottled RHS 176A.         -   Length of stem.—13-18.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1-4 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 143C, coloring with anthocyanins             close to RHS 183B.         -   Length of peduncle.—13-16 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.3-0.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 183B.         -   Length of pedicel.—2.5-3.5 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.15-0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hairs. -   Bud (just before opening):     -   -   Color.—Closest to RHS 33A.         -   Length.—0.9-1.5 cm.         -   Width.—0.8-0.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel; semi-spherical or nearly semi-spherical.         -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.             temperature.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—6-12, with 5-12 immature             umbels in various stages.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Umbel diameter.—10-12 cm.         -   Umbel depth.—8-10 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Form.—Semi-double.         -   Number of petals.—7-11.         -   Diameter of flower.—4.5-5.5 cm.         -   Depth of flower.—1.5-2 cm.         -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—RHS N30A, with venation             RHS 47B in the centre, fading to RHS 50D at the bottom end.         -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—RHS 33A, lower half with             venation RHS 45B, fading to RHS 51C at the bottom.         -   Length of upper petals.—2.8-3.2 cm.         -   Width of upper petals.—2.2-2.6 cm.         -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—RHS N30A and a bottom end             of RHS 155A with venation RHS 41B.         -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—Rim RHS 43A, fading to             RHS 43D in center to white RHS 155A on the bottom, with             venation RHS 50A.         -   Length of lower petals.—2.3-2.5 cm.         -   Width of lower petals.—1.9-2.2 cm, petaloids variably             smaller. smaller and with variable shape.         -   Petal shape.—Obovate to spathulate.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces. -   Calyx:     -   -   Number of sepals.—5.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 146B mottled with anthocyanins of about             RHS 181B.         -   Length of sepals.—1-1.4 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.2-0.4 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Mostly fused.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—0.8-0.9 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 53A.         -   Style length.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 53A.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 178B.         -   Ovary length.—0.4-0.5 cm.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm. -   Androecium:     -   -   Number of stamens.—5-7 with 1-6 staminoids.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS N155C, tipped RHS N42D.         -   Length filaments.—0.7-0.8 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 51B.         -   Length of anthers.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS N172B.         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0078’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 